Buying a home is a goal for many people living in the UK, who first need to find the right mortgage and secure a deposit. But how many people actually own their home and how many are renters?
We look at the latest statistics on homeownership in England and other parts of the UK, including breakdowns by age and occupation and interactive maps of homeownership in different regions.
2024-2025 data shows that 65% of people in England own their home. This makes up around 16.2 million households.
As of 2024-2025, 45% of homeowners had a mortgage or loan for their accommodation or bought it with shared ownership, which is around 7.2 million people. The other 55% are outright owners, around 9 million people.
35% of the population rents in England, comprising 8.8 million households. 19% of people rent privately, making up 4.7 million households in England. 16% are social renters, making up 4.1 million households – this is where you rent your home from the council or a housing association.
| Status | Percentage | Number of households |
|---|---|---|
| Home owners | 65% | 16.2 million |
| Private renters | 19% | 4.7 million |
| Social renters | 16% | 4.1 million |
More than three-quarters (79%) of those aged 65 and over are homeowners in England, compared to around 1 in 10 (11%) of those aged 16 to 24 and less than half (48%) of those aged 25 to 34.
It is not surprising that the level of homeownership increases with age, as it takes time for people to save up a deposit for a home and be in a steady financial position to take out a mortgage if they need one.
| Age group | Owns outright | Owns with a mortgage | Social renters | Private renters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16-24 years | 2.7% | 7.8% | 20.1% | 69.3% |
| 25-34 years | 5.1% | 42.6% | 14.2% | 38.2% |
| 35-44 years | 5.6% | 50.8% | 16.8% | 26.8% |
| 45-54 years | 19.4% | 46.3% | 16.4% | 17.9% |
| 55-64 years | 45.90% | 24.90% | 19.20% | 10.00% |
| 65+ | 73.80% | 5.00% | 15.00% | 6.20% |
The level of homeownership is highest in the South East and South West of England, with 70% of accommodation in this region owned rather than rented. This is followed by the East Midlands and East (68%), Yorkshire and Humber (67%) and North West (65%).
There are slightly lower levels of homeownership in the West Midlands and North East (64%).
Meanwhile, homeownership is much lower in London, as only half of residents (51%) are homeowners. This is the only region in England and Wales where the majority of residents rent rather than own their accommodation.
| Age group | Owns outright | Owns with a mortgage | Social renters | Private renters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16-24 years | 2.7% | 7.8% | 20.1% | 69.3% |
| 25-34 years | 5.1% | 42.6% | 14.2% | 38.2% |
| 35-44 years | 5.6% | 50.8% | 16.8% | 26.8% |
| 45-54 years | 19.4% | 46.3% | 16.4% | 17.9% |
| 55-64 years | 45.90% | 24.90% | 19.20% | 10.00% |
| 65+ | 73.80% | 5.00% | 15.00% | 6.20% |
Sophie Barber
Communications Manager
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